Music Rewind 2024: ATEEZ’s GOLDEN Era Has Just Begun

Congratulations, ATINY; pat yourselves on the back. You made wise choices in 2024, namely spending another year by ATEEZ‘s side! As ever, it’s been another busy one for the group, but is it just us, or did this year hit kinda different? We got to witness their continued efforts pay off in spades, with success (and plenty of broken records) worldwide.

In 2024, ATEEZ did, in fact, ‘WORK,’ “get paid,” and “get perks.” As they should! Want to catch up on anything you might’ve missed?…

THE WORLD EP. FIN: WILL Unit Music Videos

ATEEZ started our year in one of the best ways possible: with special music video releases of their unit songs from THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL. We not only got to feel the versatile vibes that each team presented, but we also got the visual experience, and we were (and still are) mind-blown. The videos pull us into four absolutely different stories with their intense, unique, and emotional aspects. The power hitter that is ‘MATZ’ was delivered by the oldest, Hongjoong and Seonghwa, to the more sensual dance piece ‘IT’s You,’ from the striking trio Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung, jumping into the sentimental ‘Youth’ by besties Yunho and Mingi, all the way to the heartbreaking ballad ‘Everything’ by the power vocal Jongho. We mean it when we say each of these musical pieces, as songs alone, and even more impactful through their music videos, leave us completely immersed in their respective atmospheres.

‘NOT OKAY’

Every time ATEEZ do something, we are simply ‘NOT OKAY,’ and they gave us the perfect reference song this year. We now can’t help but think about their Japanese single whenever we use those words. Leave it to ATEEZ to stay iconic no matter what they do. Speaking of iconic, we can confidently say that’s the whole identity of the song. All the references to how social media has taken over our lives, the pressure of societal expectations, and the need to not lose yourself. ‘NOT OKAY’ has quite the grasp as a whole, and ATEEZ’s choice to bring the song to its end with one last hard, impactful moment is pure chef’s kiss.

GOLDEN HOUR Pt.1

One thing about ATEEZ? They’re going to put the ‘WORK’ in. They’re notorious for having some of the most intense schedules in K-Pop, so, naturally, ATEEZ had their first 2024 comeback in May, just five months after the release of THE WORLD EP. FIN: WILL. ATEEZ began a new era with GOLDEN HOUR PT.1 and the irresistible title track ‘WORK.’ 

‘WORK,’ and the rest of the album, highlighted ATEEZ’s dedication and perseverance—two massive themes for not only ATEEZ’s 2024 but their entire journey to date. However, obviously, as well as having a significant message, this is ATEEZ we’re talking about, so of course the music is just super fun too.

COACHELLA And Festivals

It is safe to say that 2024 will be remembered as a historic ATEEZ year, both for the members and ATINY. The boys reached new heights with major music festival appearances throughout the year. Starting in April with one of the many big honors, the group entered the Sahara stage at Coachella, making them the first K-Pop boy group to perform there. They hyped up and drew the audience in with their iconic, powerful performances, leaving everyone present and streaming at home feeling euphoric. With their perfectly curated setlist, we are confident that on these days, ATEEZ won even more fans. Going down the timeline to June, we witnessed yet another grand moment in the pirates’ career. ATEEZ had a full-circle moment with their return to Morocco to perform at the biggest music fest there, Mawazine. Having filmed their debut music videos, ‘Pirate King’ and ‘Treasure,’ in the Moroccan desert made this such a memorable moment (we may have shed a tear or two out of happiness).

It doesn’t end here! Oh no, ATEEZ were on a whole new level in 2024 yet again. In August, their endless schedules brought them to Summer Sonic in Japan, another annual music fest. Held during one weekend, despite their packed timetable, the group performed immaculately, creating more unforgettable memories with their fans. True professionals! The last appearance we wanted to mention before we move on to the next segment of our yearly rewind is the Grand Mint Festival in Korea. ATEEZ were there not only to show their impressive performances but also to headline one of the fest days. And this happened just days before their second Korean comeback of the year! We really don’t know how they do it!

These were just some of the most historic moments for ATEEZ, not just for the year but in their career so far, lining up with their many noteworthy milestones since their debut. They are going on our personal “ATEEZ wall of fame.”

TOWARDS THE LIGHT : WILL TO POWER

It wouldn’t be a complete year if ATEEZ weren’t on tour. We had expected the announcement for TOWARDS THE LIGHT: WILL TO POWER, yet we were still a tiny bit surprised. It meant it was becoming real. The boys embarked on another unmatched tour in January, starting in Seoul. In 2024, they also brought the must-see concerts to Japan and North America, leaving the Europe stops for the start of 2025. Another spectacular time that we know will be kept close to every single attendant’s heart. ATEEZ know how to bring the heat and make an entire audience fall into a complete musical experience, where time simply doesn’t exist.

Fashion

As if taking over the music industry wasn’t enough, ATEEZ has also spent 2024 widening their scope in the world of fashion. Of course, we all know that Hongjoong is the Balmain Prince, and that certainly hasn’t changed, but some of the other members are getting the fashion accolades that they deserve too!

Seonghwa, who is often praised for his androgynous and fluid style, has been working closely with fashion house ISABEL MARANT this year, even heading to Paris for their SS25 show, where he wore a gorgeous leather dress from their womenswear collection. Around the same time that Seonghwa was in Paris, San traveled to Milan for Dolce & Gabbana’s SS25, where he very quickly went viral for wearing a structured couture corset. He also got the opportunity to sit next to Madonna at dinner and tell her about ATEEZ and their work. Pretty iconic, right?

ATINY’s Voyage: From A to Z Fancon

Not gotten sick of us talking about ATEEZ’s live performances yet? Good, because we’re not done! In July and August, ATEEZ had their first fancon, ATINY’s Voyage: From A to Z. Naturally, the performances were epic, but that’s not all; the joys of fancons are the sketches, covers, and idol-fan interactions. ATINY’s Voyage was no exception, with ATEEZ covering the likes of G-DRAGON and TOP, Girls Generation, and SEVENTEEN. And, of course, we have to mention the new version of ‘BOUNCY,’ which saw ATEEZ take to the stage in full ANITEEZ costume!

‘Birthday’

Sometimes, being an ATINY is so fun that it feels like it’s your birthday every day. And sometimes ATEEZ literally demand that we behave, “Like my birthday, like my payday.” And who are we to say no? ‘Birthday’ is so much fun, with that signature ATEEZ confidence, as well as lyrical references to 2023 hits ‘BOUNCY’ and ‘Crazy Form.’ To be honest, even if the track wasn’t this good, we would still love ‘Birthday’ for the styling alone. Yes, we’re talking about Wooyoung’s skirt.

GOLDEN HOUR Pt.2

Did we really think the year would go by with only one Korean release from our favorite cowboy pirates? Of course not. We follow their journey so closely that we are prepared for things like this (yes, we did still freak out, but that’s not the point!). ATEEZ dropped the second part of their new musical era, GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2 in November, strongly entering their mafia era. It’s official: the album features some of our overall favorite pieces by the octet, with its sublime production, lyricism, and performance.

Do you also get a rush of confidence when you listen to ATEEZ’s songs? They bring forth a lot of intense and fun title tracks yet never shy away from trying out something different. ‘Ice On My Teeth’ is definitely one of those new sounds that charge us with a classy confidence. The slightly dark vibes incorporated with classical tunes and fun vibes make this song one of our top faves and energy boosters.

Awards

Ok ATINY, if you’ve made it this far without tearing up over ATEEZ’s achievements, then we’re afraid to tell you that that’s all about to come crashing down. Our ATEEZ have their first Daesang! The team won ‘Grand Honor’s Choice’ at the 2024 Korean Grand Music Awards, and we truly couldn’t be prouder! Their success didn’t end there, though; in 2024, ATEEZ also won ‘Global Artist – Male’ at the MMAs, scored two MAMA nominations, and a BBMA nomination!

Achievements

There is a reason we put the boys’ achievements segment this low on the list. Why? It’s because we wanted you to see that everything they have done this year can be, and is, considered an achievement. ATEEZ reached new heights in 2024, once again proving that they keep advancing and soaring high in their careers. From the honor of being the first K-Pop boy group at Coachella to their conquests in the fashion world to all the awards and nominations, our boys simply don’t know the meaning of “disappointing.” But don’t worry; we have more to discuss about what made 2024 memorable.

ATEEZ’s fame doesn’t stop growing, and the GRAMMY Museum made sure to highlight that by featuring the group in its K-Pop-dedicated series. The focus of this series is to showcase the global phenomenon of K-Pop through specially curated exhibits and programming. Their first artists to kickstart this? ATEEZ, alongside their labelmates, xikers. The Museum ran a pop-up that featured ATEEZ’s absolutely iconic outfits from their THE WORLD EP. FIN: WILL album, alongside various props from the music video of ‘Crazy Form. History-making right here!

And speaking of making history. ATEEZ achieved their second number one on the Billboard 200, and it’s all thanks to the masterpiece that is GOLDEN HOUR : Part.2. The global sensation also placed in the top five on the UK’s album chart, earning them the title of first K-Pop group to have four consecutive top 10 albums. And these were just some of their top chart appearances throughout the year. Are you impressed yet? Because we absolutely agree they deserve all the recognition.

Collaborations

As if ATEEZ’s super-rich discography wasn’t enough, they’ve also been collaborating with other artists all year! The rap line both shared their talents, with Hongjoong featuring on Chung Ha’s ‘EENIE MEENIE’ and Mingi on Mirani’s ‘Hit Me Up.’ We’ve absolutely loved seeing these new facets of their already multidimensional talents!

However, our favorite ATEEZ collaborations this year definitely have to be the two with Japanese group BE: FIRST. Putting these two groups together was a stroke of genius, TBH. Both ATEEZ and BE: FIRST are known for their intensity, and ‘HUSH HUSH’ and ‘Royal’ both showcase this so well. We also have to highlight how ‘HUSH HUSH’ incorporates Korean, Japanese, and English lyricism. They’re global superstars after all!

First Pitches

Last, but certainly not least, please allow us a little of your time to talk about something non-music. We know, we’re sorry, but we can’t help that ATEEZ are so multi-talented, right? It’s lowkey been a big year for them in the world of sport, too. Fresh off the back of Coachella, Yunho, Yeosang, Wooyoung, and Jongho paid a visit to Dodger Stadium, and Yunho threw the first pitch.

And if that wasn’t enough for you? (it’s never enough ATEEZ and baseball for us). Then don’t worry; there’s plenty more! Back in Korea, Yunho took to the mound again to throw the first pitch for Gwangju’s KIA Tigers, and Wooyoung did the same for Busan’s Lotte Giants. Wooyoung’s first pitch also gave us some of the cutest content of all time with his younger brother. Our ATEEZ and baseball-loving hearts have never recovered.

And that’s a wrap! While we reflect on ATEEZ’s 2024 and look towards their 2025—*cough* Europe tour *cough*—we’ll be the first to admit that seeing ATEEZ’s continued growth and success gets us all in our feels. What was your favorite moment from ATEEZ this year? And what are you looking forward to from the group in 2025? Come share with us at @thehoneypop or on our Facebook and Instagram!

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